Can I use rice water for hair?
The use of rice water as a hair treatment has become increasingly popular as a trend on social media but the practice dates back hundreds of years in Asia. Rice water is purported to have a positive effect on hair growth, appearance and strength. Here we’ll look at the effectiveness of this hair care practice and how to apply it.
Summary
How is rice water good for your hair?
Every day the Japanese court ladies of the Heian period would comb their hair with Yu-Su-Ru. It is the rinse water collected after washing rice. Using this starchy water as a hair treatment has substantial benefits, such as making hair grow faster, due to the amino acids and proteins found in the water.
Yu-Su-Ru has been heavily researched and it’s been discovered that the properties in rice water reduce surface friction and increase hair elasticity.
The benefits of rice water for hair care
Through further studies, it was found that Yu-Su-Ru extracts have substantial benefits as, for example, they can strengthen hair regardless of hair type. A modern-day version of the Heian women is the Yao women who live in the Huangluo village in China. They are also famous for their long hair that measures 6 feet on average.
The Yao women have praised rice water for the cause of their long hair as well as the reason their hair retains its colour for so long. This brings a huge number of tourists to the Longji Rice Terraces in Longsheng. Most of these women's hair doesn't turn grey until they are well within their 80’s.
Fermented rice water or rinsed rice water?
There are numerous discussions about whether fermented soaked rice water is better than the water from rinsed rice. Some people believe that fermented rice water has higher amounts of antioxidants than plain rice water.
This is because the fermentation process is thought to reduce the pH level of rice water to the same pH level as your strands benefiting your hair health. Therefore this nourishes the hair better due to the effective penetration of the nutrients to the hair and scalp.
However other studies have shown that the fermentation process of rice water causes a decrease in phenolic acids which are antioxidants that protect the hair from damage from free radicals. Furthermore, they also have anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the fermentation process may destroy beneficial elements of the rice water that existed before fermentation.
How do you make rice water for your hair?
Rinsed rice water and fermented rice water are the two main rice water recipes for hair care. Rinsed rice water is the starchy water that comes after rinsing rice before cooking it. Whereas fermented rice refers to water that has been left to brew for up to 24 hours before use. If left any longer the water may be unusable and cause damage to the hair.
You can use this starchy water as part of your hair care routine whether you have straight or curly hair. After washing your hair with shampoo, you can use rice water as a deep condition for your hair. Apply the water to clean wet hair and gently massaged it into the scalp, then rinse after 5-10 minutes.
Here are the recipes for rinsed rice water and fermented rice water:
Rinsed rice water recipe for hair growth:
- Measure one cup of rice and put it into a saucepan.
- Add water so that it just covers the rice and use your hand to agitate the grains.
- You will see white starch appearing in the water.
- Drain the water into a separate bowl. You can do this with a sieve or you can hold one hand against the rice and pour.
- Repeat the process another 2 times, as not all the starch is washed off the rice after the first rinse. Then pour the water into the separate bowl again.
- As long as the water is at room temperature you can use it immediately.
You can prepare this recipe before you cook rice and use it later on in the day.
Fermented rice water for hair:
- Measure two cups of rice and pour it into a saucepan or a bowl.
- Add four cups of water (double the rice quantity).
- Leave the rice to soak for 30 minutes.
- Agitate the rice slightly to loosen the starch from the rice, then pour the water into a glass jar.
- Seal the jar and leave it to ferment for 12-24 hours at room temperature. It’s best to ferment rice water in an airtight jar to create an ideal environment for the growth of antioxidants.
- Put the jar in the fridge to preserve beneficial properties.
- Then use the fermented water on your strands for up to 5 days while storing it in the fridge.
Can I leave rice water in my hair overnight?
We don't recommend leaving rice water in your hair overnight, or for 24 hours. This is because the starch dries onto your hair strands and is a difficult consistency to wash out. Also, leaving it on your hair overnight doesn’t have any additional benefits for healthy hair.
Inositol, an ingredient found in this solution, is a carbohydrate that repairs damaged hair. Inositol repairs damaged hair from the inside out and it even protects your hair from further damage. Thus, leaving it on overnight won’t provide more hair benefits, it’s much better to use regular rice water rinses to maintain the level of inositol in your hair strands.
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Conclusion
Throughout history, particularly in Asia, women have been using rice water to wash their hair. It has gained global recognition thanks to its renewed popularity on TikTok and praise from celebrities like Kim Kardashian.
The beauty trend has succeeded as the antioxidants and amino acids in rice water strengthen damaged hair and repair it from the inside out. Thanks to these benefits, using rice water for hair can improve its growth rate. If you're looking for comprehensive hair care products check out our range designed by Dr. Balwi.
Do you have more questions or are you experiencing hair loss? Then don't hesitate to contact our friendly team that will answer all your queries about getting a hair transplant for a long term solution to your hair loss problems. Furthermore they can also offer a free and non binding hair analysis.
